God has a plan.

• Ephesians 3:3-14
  • His plan is from the eternal past. (Ephesians 3:4)
  • His plan was to find fulfillment through Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:3-14)
  • His plan stretches into the eternal future. (Ephesians 3:10)
• JESUS
  • Sent by and lived according to the Father’s plan (John 8:28-29)
  • Knew who he came for (Matthew 9:12-13, Matthew 15:24)
  • Knew what he came to do (Matthew 20:28)
  • Gospel of Mark highlights “immediacy”: no idleness, no purposelessness.
  • Gave his disciples their purpose (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8)

Man was purposefully made to have a purpose

• Genesis 1-2
  • Made in God’s likeness (Genesis 1:26-27)
  • Made with a purpose (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 28-30; Genesis 2:15-17)
  • Made man and woman to fulfill their purpose (Genesis 2:24)
  • Man was called upon to name/order the creation (Genesis 2:20)

Men who fear God and purpose their lives after God are called righteous.

• Noah – Genesis 6          
  • God’s purpose is challenged but not thwarted (Genesis 6:6-7)
  • Noah is called out specifically for God’s purpose (Genesis 6:13)
  • Noah is given his purpose (Genesis 6:14 ff)
  • Noah did all he was commanded according to God’s plan (Genesis 6:22)
  • He did so “in reverent fear”  and “condemned the world” (Hebrews 11:7)
• Abraham
  • Left what was familiar in pursuit of God’s purpose (Genesis 12:4)
  • Believed God’s promise instead of logic and biology (Genesis 15:6)
  • Trusted God instead of his grief and pain (Genesis 22:8)
• Moses – Book of Exodus
  • Received a plan for his life (Exodus 3)
  • Executed the plan in the face of internal and external resistance (chs. 4-18)
  • Delivered the what he received to the people (Genesis 19-31)
  • “Finished the work” on God’s dwelling place (Genesis 40:33)
  • Brought Israel to the brink of their promised goal (Deuteronomy 34:4)
  • There were “none like him for all….the LORD sent him to do” (Deuteronomy 34:11)
• Joshua
  • Faithful assistant to Moses (Exodus 24, Exodus 33; Numbers 11:28) and warrior of Israel (Exodus 17).
  • Partner with Caleb who brought back a good report, ready to believe God and follow through on His plan for His people (Numbers 14)
  • Wholly followed the Lord (Numbers 32:12), chosen to divide the inheritance (Numbers 34:17)
  • Divinely called to courageously claim God’s promise of Canaan to Israel (Joshua 1)
• Judges
• Negative example
  • Israel fails to complete God’s plan and things go badly from there (Judges 2:1-3)
• Rest of book summarized here: Judges 2:16-19
  • Follow God’s plan/manà good!  Follow no plan/self/idols bad.
• And here: Judges 21:25, proving the point in negative fashion.
  •  “In those days…Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
•  Boaz – Ruth 2-4
  • Boaz knew his role, made a plan, and boldly fulfilled his purpose as redeemer.
• David
  • Knowing the end, confidently waited on God to complete his plan for him.
  • Succeeded as he faithfully followed through on his responsibilities to his flock, his family, his king, his friend, his God.
  • Failed when he followed his fleshly appetites for sloth, sex, and security.
  • Learned from his mistakes and told Solomon exactly how to succeed (1 Kings 2:3-4)
• Solomon
  • Offered everything, and asked for wisdom. Aka “to know the plan” (1 Kiings 3:9)
  • Received wisdom, honor, wealth, and long life IF he follows the plan (1 Kings 3:14)
  • In the midst of building, God reminds him… 1 Kings 6:11-13 … stick to the plan.
• King Jehoshaphat
  • Led Israel to battle, believing the battle was God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:17)
• Job
  • Had a regular plan to consecrate, atone for, intervene for his children (1:5)
  • Confesses that God’s plan prevails without fail and that our own words/plans/thoughts/deeds are nonsense/dust/ashes in comparison (Job 42:2-6)
• Nehemiah
  • Prayed and sought his purpose with faith in God’s help ( Nehemiah 2:8, 20)
  • He persevered by faith through heavy resistance (Nehemiah 4:4, Nehemiah 4:9, Nehemiah 4:14, Nehemiah 4:20, Nehemiah 4:23)
  • He finished the work with God’s help (Nehemiah 6:15-16)
• The Lover of Song of Songs
  • Bold, purposeful, and goal-oriented wooing and winning. Unstoppable.
• Daniel (Rach, Shach, and Benny too)
  • Resolved to obey/fear God alone despite the King’s orders (Daniel 1:8, Daniel 3:12, Daniel 3:18, Daniel 6:10)
• Habbakuk
  • Though every plan should fail, rejoice in the God of your salvation (Habbakuk 3:17-19)
    •  A plan for contentment.
• John the Baptist
  • Came with the purpose foreordained by God (Matthew 3:1-3)

Pauline Teachings

• 1 Corinthians
  • Let each lead the life God has assigned him, to which God has called him (1 Corinthians 7:17)
  • I say this…to promote good order…. (1 Corinthians 7:35)
  • I do it all for the sake of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:23)
  • I do not run aimlessly…as one beating the air (1 Corinthians 9:26)
  • Pursue LOVE and the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1)
  • 5 words “with my mind in order” > 10,000 words “in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:19)
  • “All things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40)
• 1 Timothy
  • Elders are sober-minded, self-controlled, managers of their houses (1 Corinthians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 3:12)
  • Training requires a plan (1 Corinthians 4:6-10)
  • Don’t neglect the gift, but practice, immerse, progress, persist AND SO save yourself and your hearers (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)
  • Avoid idleness, hastiness, youthful passions, laziness, babble (chs. 5-6)
    •  Leads to ungodliness and poisonous infection (gangrene)
• 2 Timothy
  • Teach what you have been taught to faithful men who will teach… (2 Timothy 2:2)
  • Soldier, farmer, athlete. Each have a plan, orders, training, goals, rules (2 Timothy 2:2 ff)
    •  Aiming at success, victory, bounty, increase.
  • Scripture is given to prepare, equip, train—the PLAN! (2 Timothy 3:16)
    •  It ALL has purpose, effect.
  • Preach the Word and always be ready (2 Timothy 4:1)
  • Be sober-minded and fulfill your ministry (2 Timothy 4:5)
  • Fought the good fight and finished the race (2 Timothy 4:7)

Book of Hebrews

• Lays out the whole plan (Hebrews 1:1-2)
  • As it was: prophets, law, altar, priests, blood…
  • As it is now: JESUS. Done and done.
• Pay attention, don’t drift away. How shall we escape if we neglect it? (Hebrews 2:1-3)

Book of James

• Steadfastness leads to perfection (James 1:4)
• Let faith be the rudder keeping us on course (James 1:6)
• Double-minded = unstable (James 1:8)
  •  Keeping my options open, refuse to make/keep a plan
• Blessed is he who stands the test (James 1:12)
• Be doers and not hearers only (James 1:22)
• Quarrels and fights caused by “passions at war within you” (James 4:1)
  •  No plan, no control

Proverbs and OTHER

• Trust in the LORD….He will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• The heart of man plans his way but the LORD establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9)
• The horse is made ready for battle but the victory belongs to the Lord (Proverbs 21:31)
• For everything, there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3)
• The Word never returns void but accomplishes what it is sent out to do. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
  • It is purposeful. God is always about His purpose and plan.
• Seek first the kingdom and the rest will be added (Matthew 6:33)
• All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called… (Romans 8:28)
• He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6)
• Work out your salvation….for it is God who works in you. (Philippians 2:12-13)
• Jehoshaphat: Didn’t know what to do but pray (2 Chronicles 20:12)
  • Told the battle was God’s (2 Chronicles 15)
  • But get up, get ready, and go meet the enemy (2 Chronicles 16)
  • You won’t have to fight, but get ready, and stand firm (2 Chronicles 17)